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From: kvk@ihlpm.UUCP (Kevin)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc,net.micro.atari,net.micro.mac
Subject: Re: DRI agrees to change GEM ; why??
Message-ID: <533@ihlpm.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Oct-85 19:21:54 EDT
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Posted: Mon Oct 14 19:21:54 1985
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> In article <299@ccivax.UUCP> rb@ccivax.UUCP (rex ballard) writes:
> >I find it rather hard to believe that Apple would really have a case against
> >DRI.
> 
> >True, in terms of it's external appearance, the GEM interface looks very
> >much like the Mac interface.
> 
> These comments are mutually exclusive.... The case was specifically for the
> visual copyright, so looking too much like the Mac was exactly what Apple
> was (deservedly) upset about. If you spend 25 man years making someone, and
> someone else borrows your design, does it in 5 many years, charges less,
> and puts you out of business, wouldn't you be upset? Business needs to be
> able to protect its R&D or R&D simply won't get done.
> 
> >But things like binding (install application)
> >are much different.
> 
> This also has nothing to do with the visual copyright....

Huh? Visual copyright?! I doubt such a thing exists - Imagine IBM copyrighting
not only their ROM code but the look (the top is a plastic rectangle with these
little metal pins sticking out... :-) ).

My understanding of software copyright law is that someone can produce a program
with a similar visual look, and as long as no code is pirated from the first
program, no infringement exists. Otherwise Xerox should certainly sue Apple.

Anyone know if DRI employed people from the Mac development team? This was my
guess on why DRI gave in.

These are my personal opinions, such as they are.

					Kevin Kinder
					ihnp4!ihlpm!kvk